On Thursday night – Friday morning in Australia – one team was clearly more prepared to hit the field and it wasn’t the Super Bowl favourites.
San Francisco’s travel plans heading Down Under had been a big story leading into the Rams-49ers tilt, and the team – which spent a week in Australia – certainly seemed better off than L.A., which flew in a day before.
But while the Niners dominated their rival and put their first win on the board, the season has only just begun.
How the teams adapt after getting home and beginning prep for Week 2 and beyond will be massive.
After spending that extra time overseas, how long will it take the 49ers to get back in their usual rhythm? Will staying on a schedule closer to their local time actually be a long-term benefit for Los Angeles?
The NFL season is 17 games long and, while this was a crucial division matchup, the Rams might be the winners in the long run if their plan works out.
A few other quick thoughts…
It was noted before the season started that Pats’ Drake Maye had a specific weakness: Cover 6 defence. With the Seahawks sitting back and waiting for the deep ball to come from the MVP runner-up, they were able to keep him in check for the second half of the Super Bowl rematch. If he doesn’t adapt quickly, the Pats will be in deep trouble … A.J. Brown’s season isn’t over, but a high-ankle sprain can be a death sentence for a WR’s production. Even when he’s back on the field, his effectiveness will take a big hit for a while … Klint Kubiak pulled a fast one on everyone, saying that everyone on his team is good to go for the opener, only for Brock Bowers to undergo knee surgery hours later. Is this just the beginning of a season-long tank in Vegas? … Myles Garrett getting shut out in his Rams debut shouldn’t be all that concerning – yet. He was dealing with a lower leg injury, which obviously affected him. Once he’s right, the league will be put on notice.
Who are we picking in Week 1?
New England +3.5 over SEATTLE
Sam Darnold’s hip injury is bad news for the Seahawks. You can get by with a gunslinger like Drew Lock for only so long before it blows up on you. His style of play isn’t a good match with the team’s defensive, game-control identity.
San Francisco +3.5 over L.A. Rams in Australia
Sean McVay seriously needed a better plan than running a QB sneak with 38-year-old Matt Stafford on the goal line at a key point in the game, only to be predictably stuffed. At least they’ll have time to figure things out while heading home.
CAROLINA +3.5 over Chicago
Although they made the playoffs and impressed down the stretch last year, the Panthers have been seemingly already been written off in 2026. Caleb Williams and the Bears have some hype behind them, but Chicago’s defence is below average and a backdoor cover is always in play.
Baltimore -3.5 over INDIANAPOLIS
Daniel Jones, who relied so much on his mobility last year, is coming back from a broken leg and torn Achilles. We’re going to have to see just how well he has recovered before we back him against a title contender like Baltimore.
PITTSBURGH -3.5 over Atlanta
There haven’t been any positive signs coming out of the Falcons’ QB battle during camp, and Tua Tagovailoa’s confidence is likely shot after some damning reports. And now he’s day-to-day with an oblique injury. This one is our best bet of the week.
JACKSONVILLE -8.5 over Cleveland
The most recent time we saw Deshaun Watson command an offence, it turned out to be one of the worst of all time. We’re doubting that he’s going to be much better on the road against a contender after tearing his Achilles twice.
Tampa Bay +3.5 over CINCINNATI
With the amount of offensive weapons involved on both sides and some questions to be asked on defence, it’s easy to see this being a high-scoring affair that comes down to the end. It’s also hard to ignore the Bengals’ penchant for starting seasons out slow.
TENNESSEE -1.5 over New York Jets
Is this a Robert Saleh revenge game? He’d love to take down his former team, but the main thing to watch is Cam Ward’s development under new OC Brian Daboll. But any way you slice it, this game isn’t one that many people will actively choose to watch.
DETROIT -6.5 over New Orleans
The Saints may be a dome team themselves, but there’s no place like home for Jared Goff and the Lions. Detroit’s offence should be able to rack up some points against a mediocre New Orleans team.
HOUSTON +1.5 over Buffalo
Both teams are favourites to win their divisions, and while Josh Allen is the pre-season MVP favourite, he doesn’t have a good record against the Texans. Houston’s defence should be a nightmare for opponents, especially at home.
L.A. CHARGERS -9.5 over Arizona
The Chargers don’t usually have a true home-field advantage with SoFi Stadium often being flooded by visiting fans, but we’re doubting that will be the case with the lowly Cards in town. Justin Herbert leads a healthy (for once) offence that should light it up.
MINNESOTA -1.5 over Green Bay
Kyler Murray makes his Vikings debut in a tough matchup at home, but if there’s one thing we know about the diminutive QB, it’s that he starts seasons out strong. He should also get Justin Jefferson back on track after a down 2025 season.
Miami +3.5 over LAS VEGAS
Neither of these teams inspire much confidence, but with the Raiders losing Brock Bowers to knee surgery for the first week or two, taking the points might be the better option here.
PHILADELPHIA -4.5 over Washington
The Eagles are sure to dominate this game in the trenches, and Jayden Daniels will be running for his life between the Commanders offensive line. Philly should be eager to show that this revamped offence will be just fine without A.J. Brown.
Dallas -2.5 over NEW YORK GIANTS
If the Cowboys really want to live up to some of the pre-season hype they’ve built around this offence, the team needs to take care of business against the Giants in prime time.
Denver +2.5 over KANSAS CITY
While it’s great for the media headlines and TV networks that Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are in prime time in Week 1, the QB is only nine months out from a torn ACL and the tight end is well over the hill. Also, having a shoddy situation at both offensive tackle spots is very bad news for Mahomes and the Chiefs – and even worse against Denver’s defence.